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Posts for tag: Loosen

Swelling after foot or ankle surgery can make your splint feel too tight which can be a common source of pain. Watch our video to see Dr. Bowlby demonstrate how to properly loosen your splint if it feels too tight. By clicking below, our step by step video will show you how:

inflammation. Using both warm water to open up blood vessels and cold water to

constrict blood vessels

acts as a pump to push swelling out. All you need is water

,

ice

and two containers

.

Follow these simple steps:



Obtain two

container

s

that your foot

and/or ankle will fit in and fi

ll one with

cold tap water. F

ill the other

with warm

tap

water

, about the temperature

you would use for

bathwater.

Use your fingers fir

st to test that the warm

water is not too hot.



While seated, p

lace

the affected

foot or ankle in the

warm

water first for 4

minutes. This is a good time to do gentile range of motion exercises.



After the 4 minutes is up,

place your foot and/or ankle

in

to the cold water for

1 minute.

Once your foot is in the cold water container,

a

dd 2

-

3 cups of ice

to

the cold water

, one time only

.



Repeat this cycle for a total

of 4 times (a total of

20 minutes

)

each day.

You

do not need to add

more ice with each cyc

le.

*Caution

:

do not perform if you have any open wounds, a history of d

iabetes,

poor

circulation

,

or numbness in your fee

Contrast Baths

Contrast baths are an inexpensive and powerful way to reduce swelling and

inflammation. Using both warm water to open up blood vessels and cold water to